PREVIOUSLY: After a False Start in Arcata, Life Plan Humboldt Secures McKinleyville Property for a Large Senior Residential Community

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Press release from Assemblymember Jim Wood’s Office:

Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) obtained $1.435 million in state funding to assist in a McKinleyville development by Life Plan Humboldt (LPH), which will be a resident-led not-for-profit senior community of 144 homes, including 60 affordable senior homes, with services available to ensure residents can age in place.

Wood will present the check to LPH this Wednesday, September 20, 2:30 pm, at the property site in the McKinleyville Town Center (link to map). Media are invited to attend.

“Life Plan Humboldt is grateful for this significant support to our ongoing fundraising campaign and brings us closer to our goal,” said Dr. Ann Lindsay, President. “We are committed to access, and our success will enable construction of up to 60 affordable senior homes on the campus by a nonprofit partner. We will open up housing as we downsize, create good jobs and stimulate the McKinleyville economy. Life Plan Humboldt is proud to jumpstart development of the McKinleyville Town Center.”

LPH is a tax-exempt nonprofit formed to plan, build and support a mixed-income Life Plan Community in Humboldt County. It aims to create a resident-led, aging-in-place community in Humboldt providing secure, accessible homes in an environmentally responsible setting that supports independence, socialization, personal growth, community involvement and intellectual stimulation. LPH will provide a continuum of services to address changing needs over time.

LPH has entered into an agreement to purchase a 14+ acre property in McKinleyville to create a campus-like residential setting. Ground-breaking is expected in two to five years.

“I was very pleased to find state funding for a development that will allow seniors to age in place and receive the services they need to live a fulfilling life,” said Wood. “Developments like LPH are needed throughout the state so that our aging population can live comfortably, safely and near their families.”

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The City of Arcata announced today that Arcata Main Street, the local business-supporting organization best known for organizing the annual Arcata Bay Oyster Festival, is being absorbed by the Arcata Chamber of Commerce. 

What does this mean for Oyster Fest? Well, the City promises that the event, along with the Season of Wonder and Light and Arts Arcata, will still be happening under the direction of the Chamber. 

Learn more in this City of Arcata press release:

 The Arcata Chamber and Arcata Main Street are teaming up to ensure long term support and representation for Arcata businesses.

After several years of discussion and months of planning, the Arcata Chamber is prepared to fold in critical aspects of Arcata Main Street’s operation to streamline business support services in Arcata.

Starting Thursday, Oct. 5, the Arcata Chamber, with support from outgoing Arcata Main Street Board members, will start planning in earnest to keep several key programs active such as the Season of Wonder and Light, Arts Arcata, the Oyster Festival and coordinated marketing and business networking for the Plaza and downtown businesses.

“This type of consolidation has been talked about for decades,” said Councilmember Stacy Atkins-Salazar, the City’s liaison to Main Street, “it just makes sense to combine efforts under one board, one organization for businesses and the City to contribute to and one slightly larger staff to coordinate support and activities that promote all of Arcata’s fabulous businesses.”

The Arcata Chamber currently has a strong board of 12 members and a seasoned staff of two. “The right combination of support has finally aligned” Chamber Board President Roger James and Vice President Bob Judevine reflected. “The Chamber has many business members who are also part of Main Street and we are excited to meet and support new businesses and to have a stronger presence on the Plaza and downtown”. The Chamber is a non-political organization whose purpose is to support business entrepreneurship, collaboration and innovation while promoting a strong sense of community.

For Main Street’s part, the agency worked hard with the City throughout the pandemic to keep shops and restaurants open in downtown and celebrated a tremendous Oyster Festival this past year with its return to the Plaza. It currently does not have an Executive Director and has a small board of three. Arcata Main Street approached the City in 2021 with a request to provide support to rebuild activities after the pandemic and work to ready critical programs to merge with or under the Chamber.

“We are happy to see this combination of services come together under one roof and will continue to support the Chamber as they shoulder the role of promoting and strengthening our downtown,” said Arcata Main Street President Shannon Yodowitz. “We are proud of our work with businesses for over 35 years including 32 Oyster Festivals, hundreds of family and community events and memorable celebrations of downtown businesses.”

The City will consider an amendment to the Arcata Chamber of Commerce’s annual agreement in October to reallocate funds that were originally earmarked for Main Street to assist with downtown revitalization after the pandemic and to assist with the consolidation. If you are interested in assisting with business support in Arcata please contact the Chamber at arcata@arcatachamber.com.

And… gear up Arcata! Halloween is coming up, and the Chamber is ready to celebrate and support our local business and uphold beloved traditions on the Plaza. Let’s all celebrate and support our local businesses. Please shop local.

Madera County Sheriff’s Office release: 

On September 15, 2023 around 2:00pm, the Madera County Sheriff’s Communications Center received a call reporting an overdue hiker. A man reported he and his girlfriend had gotten separated while hiking. The couple, from the Humboldt area, had hiked in to Ruth Lake 4 days prior, and were separated while heading back towards the Fernandez Trail head to return to their vehicle. The male party made it to their car and called for help after searching the area.

Officers from USFS, CHP H-40 crew, and an off-duty Madera County SAR Deputy responded to the trail head and began to coordinate efforts to locate the missing female. H-40 checked the area and located a group of hikers who were waving at them, but communication efforts were unsuccessful and a landing attempt couldn’t be made due to conditions. A ground team was then sent in to locate the hikers and confirm whether the missing 49 year old female was with them.

While the team hiked the 7 miles in, H-40 crews returned and were able to make contact with the group, confirming the missing female was at the location and uninjured. The ground team arrived at the camp, located at 9500 feet elevation, around 3:00am and camped out with her until daylight. The team then walked her out early in the morning of Saturday the 16th, reaching the trailhead around noon time, when she was reunited with her boyfriend.

Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue states, “We thank our partners, and our off-duty Deputy, for their dedicated efforts to complete this mission. Their commitment to ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors is what makes Madera County so remarkable.“

Above: Revelers from this past weekend’s North Country Fair on the Arcata Plaza enact a whimsical dramatization of Klamath dam removal.

Press release from the Yurok Tribe:

The Yurok Tribe and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), in collaboration with the Shasta Indian Nation, recently started preparing a stretch of the Klamath River to flow freely for the first time in a century.

The soon-to-be dismantled Klamath Hydroelectric Project has blocked fish passage and altered river flows for over 100 years. In Kikacéki, a place sacred to the Shasta Indian Nation, there is an area commonly known as Ward’s Canyon where the river has lacked consistent flows for nearly a century. In 1925 the construction of Copco No. 2 dam was completed, diverting the river into a tunnel that traveled nearly 2 miles downstream to a powerhouse, dewatering the historic reach of river canyon.

In the absence of sustained river flows, a dense stand of trees colonized the riverbed within the steep canyon. The Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation and Yurok Fisheries Department, in coordination with KRRC, Shasta Indian Nation, and HeliDunn, a locally owned helicopter company, are clearing the alder and cottonwood trees from the river corridor, while leaving all floodplain vegetation intact. The trees are being transported to a staging location for later use in the restoration of the 2,200 acres of reservoir beds that will be exposed after drawdown is complete.

“It fills my heart to know that salmon will migrate through this river reach on their way to spawn in the upper basin,” said Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers. “For the last century, we have watched the dams suffocate the life out of the river and it has negatively impacted every member of our tribe. I would like to thank the KRRC and the Shasta Indian Nation for the opportunity to help our salmon runs and our river recover for our children and the next generations.”

Located within the traditional homeland of the Shasta Indian Nation, Kikacéki connects traditional villages, important ceremonial places, and the Tribe’s spiritual center of the world. Archaeological evidence shows that the area has been inhabited for thousands of years—until construction of the Copco dams began. During the dams’ construction, Shasta people living there also had their lands taken by eminent domain. Yet, the canyon and the river remain of immense cultural importance to the Shasta people, who continue to come up the Canyon every year to see their former home from the roadside.

“My family is from Kikacéki. I feel at peace whenever I come up here. I know as a Shasta Indian that I’m home. I want others to understand and appreciate why this land and the river is so important for us. We are happy to collaborate with the Yurok Tribe and KRRC on this part of the project. It is good that Tribal people are working in this area,” said Shasta Indian Nation Councilman Mike Olson.

Prior to project implementation, the 1.7-mile-long reach was surveyed to identify trees for removal up to the expected 3,000 cfs line. The hazard tree removal project is being implemented over the course of approximately two months. Destined to perish after the river reclaims its natural path, the trees need to be cleared to make it safe for whitewater rafters, kayakers, and boat-based anglers to navigate the river after the dams come down.

The Klamath dam removal project broke ground in June 2023, after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued the approval that allowed construction crews to get to work on the deconstruction of Copco No. 2 dam. Copco No. 2 will be fully removed by the end of September. Iron Gate, JC Boyle and Copco No. 1 dams will be deconstructed next year in what is considered the largest salmon restoration project in history. The Klamath River Renewal Corporation, a nonprofit organization formed by signatories of the amended Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement, is overseeing the monumental project.

“We would not have reached this point if it were not for the long-standing advocacy of the tribal communities along the Klamath River,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Renewal Corporation “Seeing the revitalization of this river canyon is incredible, and we are honored to collaborate with the Yurok Tribe and Shasta Indian Nation on this portion of the project.”

Prior to construction of the dams, the Klamath supported 1 million spring and fall Chinook or king salmon as well strong populations of steelhead trout, sturgeon, Pacific lamprey and many other native fish species, all of which are struggling. This fall, fisheries managers predict that less than 25,000 Chinook will return to the river. Spring salmon stocks are equally dismal. In response to the decline in fish numbers, the Yurok Tribe cancelled its annual salmon harvest to protect fish. Non-tribal commercial and recreational salmon fisheries in California were also closed this summer due to the weak fish run.

The decline of the Klamath’s once prolific salmon populations is attributed to several factors, but the Klamath dams are by far the single biggest impediment to fish production. After the dams are removed, fisheries experts expect fish numbers to gradually increase in response to renewed access to historic spawning grounds, a reduction in disease exposure and improved ecosystem health.

“It is important to me that my children and future generations have a free-flowing Klamath River to preserve our culture and traditions,” said Shasta Indian Nation Vice-Chair Candice Difuntorum. “We have a saying in Shasta—rawé·ki ča·k’ú t’árak. It means ‘may the land be returned.’ For the wellbeing of the land and our people, we look forward to the day that Kikacéki is restored”

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Yurok Tribe

With more than 6,400 enrolled members, the Yurok Tribe is currently the largest tribe in California. The Tribe’s major initiatives include fisheries restoration, protection, and management, Klamath dam removal, condor reintroduction, holistic forest management, cultural preservation, sustainable economic development and land recovery.

Klamath River Renewal Corporation

The Klamath River Renewal Corporation, or KRRC, is a private, independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization formed by signatories of the amended Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement, or KHSA. KRRC is part of a cooperative effort to re-establish the natural vitality of the Klamath River so that it can support all communities in the Basin. Signatories of the amended KHSA, including the States of California and Oregon, local governments, Tribal nations, dam owner PacifiCorp, irrigators, and several conservation and fishing groups, appointed KRRC to take ownership and oversee removal of four hydroelectric dams on the river.

Shasta Indian Nation

With approximately 300 enrolled members, the Shasta Indian Nation is the Tribe whose homelands included Kikacéki. The ancestors of all its present members lived at Kikacéki prior to the construction of the Copco dams. Today, the Tribe’s major initiatives are focused on cultural preservation, language education, and land return.

Heads up, Old Town regulars. As you can see in the video above, the City of Eureka is engaged in some pretty extensive road work on F Street this week. Plan your life accordingly. 

In case you’re the kind of person who worries about the state of commerce, Eureka Main Street would like to remind you that area businesses are still available to take your money. From their social media post this morning:

Businesses are open while Old Town is getting a serious facelift!

This week F Street (between 1st & 4th Streets) and E Street (between 2nd & 3rd Streets) are getting reconstructed and paved. Come down to your favorite shops and restaurants and see the progress firsthand.

By the end of the week, there will be beautiful newly paved streets to enjoy during Friday Night Market.

UPDATE, 3:07 p.m.:

This afternoon, the City of Eureka sent along the following response to PETA from Mayor Kim Bergel:

Dear Ms Newkirk: 

I am writing in response to your letter dated September 18, 2023 regarding the request from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to replace the Fisherman’s Memorial statue at Woodley Island with a “Fintastic Fish Sculpture.” 

Firstly, I would like to express our appreciation for your organization’s commitment to animal welfare and your advocacy for the ethical treatment of animals. It is essential to engage in conversations that promote the humane treatment of all living beings and foster a greater understanding of their wellbeing. 

The Fisherman’s Memorial holds a significant historical and cultural value for our community. It pays tribute to the generations of fishermen who have contributed to the development of Eureka and the livelihood of its residents. 

This memorial stands as a symbol of respect for their dedication and sacrifices. The involvement of the wives of the Fishermen’s Marketing Association in funding the memorial underscores the strong community ties and the deep appreciation for the contributions and sacrifices made by fishermen in the Eureka area. Replacing it would be seen as a disservice to the memory of those who have played a vital role in our city’s heritage. 

The memorial is also not a City of Eureka asset and the City does not have authority to remove or change the statue. However, even if the City did have jurisdiction over the statue, I, as Mayor, who represent the residents of Eureka, would not want to proceed with the proposal to replace the Fisherman’s Memorial statue. 

We understand and respect PETA’s concerns about the ethical treatment of fish, but it is important to note that the Fisherman’s Memorial does not promote cruelty or harm to fish or any other species. Instead, it serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by our local fishermen and the importance of responsible fishing practices. 

Eureka is also committed to sustainability and the preservation of our natural resources. Our local fishermen are often at the forefront of sustainable fishing efforts, which align with PETA’s goal of promoting humane practices. We believe that collaboration between conservationists, fishermen, and organizations like PETA can lead to more responsible and compassionate approaches to fishing.

We would welcome the opportunity to work together on a location for your “Fintastic Fish Sculpture” or opportunities that promote the ethical treatment of animals, such as educational programs on sustainable fishing practices and wildlife conservation. By working together, we can find common ground and create positive change.

Once again, we appreciate your organization’s dedication to animal welfare and your concern for the well-being of fish. While the City does not support the proposed sculpture replacement, I hope that this decision does not deter our future collaboration on issues that are of mutual interest.

Thank you for understanding our position, and I look forward to engaging in productive discussions in the future.

Sincerely,
Kim Bergel, Mayor

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Original post:

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From PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals):

Thinking it’s high time Eureka celebrated Fish Amnesty Day, this Saturday, PETA sent a letter this morning to Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel urging her to take down the old-style statue “The Fisherman” at Woodley Island Marina and replace it with a fish-shaped sculpture made of discarded fishing gear. The group hopes the new, upcycled fish statue it would donate to the city would spark a “Eureka!” moment among locals and visitors to the area and help people recognize that the fishing industry inflicts pain on billions of aquatic animals every year, including all the unintended victims, like turtles, rays, and dolphins, euphemistically known as “bycatch.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—offers a list of delicious vegan fish options, such as Gardein’s f’sh filets, Sophie’s Kitchen’s Fish Fillets, and Good Catch Plant-Based Crab Cakes, as well as a free vegan starter kit. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram.

“Fish don’t deserve agonizing deaths any more than the millions of sharks, dolphins, turtles, porpoises, and even whales who get caught in abandoned fishing gear each year,” says PETA President and reformed angler Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is urging Mayor Bergel to upgrade Woodley Island’s statue to show fish as the remarkable individuals they are and inspire people to enjoy the outdoors in ways that don’t hurt animals—like keeping the water clean by ‘trash fishing.’”

Fish Amnesty Day was launched in 1997 to encourage kindness to fish, who are now known to feel pain as acutely as mammals do, have long-term memories and the ability to recognize themselves in a mirror, and communicate with each other using squeaks, squeals, and other low-frequency sounds that humans can hear only with special instruments. Despite their unique abilities, more fish are killed for food each year than all other animals combined. They’re impaled, crushed, suffocated, or cut open and gutted, all while conscious.

And here’s PETA’s letter to Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel:

September 18, 2023

The Honorable Kim Bergel
Mayor of Eureka

Dear Mayor Bergel:

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally, including many who are lucky enough to live in California—with a fintastic suggestion.

Times are changing, and just as whaling towns have reinvented what used to be an acceptable practice, fishing towns will soon follow their lead. As millions of Americans now refuse to support industries that slaughter billions of animals every year, devastate the environment—since fishing gear is a top polluter of the ocean and the leading cause of “accidental” deaths of whales, dolphins, porpoises, and turtles—and wreak havoc on our health, we hope you’ll take this opportunaty to get ahead of history by removing the “Fisherman” statue, which glorifies the cruel and environmentally deadly fishing industry, from the Woodley Island Marina. We’d be happy to donate a new sculpture to replace it—perhaps a fish made from discarded fishing gear, as shown here.

Studies show that fish are smart, sensitive beings who have distinct personalities, learn from one another, can recognize themselves in mirrors—the “gold standard” of animal intelligence—and have better memories than most humans for their age. They have individual personalities, talk to one another, and experience pleasure and pain, yet more of them are killed for food each year than all other animals combined. Commercial fishing also leaves behind a trail of additional victims—including turtles, birds, and other animals who sustain debilitating injuries after swallowing fishhooks or becoming entangled in fishing lines—and it threatens the delicate balance of the ocean’s ecosystems. A 2022 study determined that each year, enough fishing line is lost in the ocean to circle the Earth 18 times and that fishers lose over 25 million pots and traps and nearly 14 billion longline hooks, posing a huge threat to marine animals.

Eating fish and other animals is also harmful to human health. We can get everything we need from a healthy vegan diet—including omega-3 fatty acids and protein—without any of the mercury, PCBs, or other toxins found in fish flesh. With delicious vegan varieties of every type of “seafood,” people can enjoy all the familiar dishes they love without the cruelty, toxins, or cholesterol.

Your new statue could inspire people to shellabrate and protect marine life by going “trash fishing,” rather than promoting an industry that suffocates and slaughters animals. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

Very truly yours,


Ingrid Newkirk
President

Tens of thousands of Californians are losing health insurance every month as the state resumes checking people’s eligibility for Medi-Cal, which it suspended during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

About 16 million people in California will be evaluated for eligibility from June 2023 to May 2024. About half of those up for a review were automatically renewed because officials were able to verify their information in the system. Others were sent yellow renewal packets that they were supposed to fill out and send back to their county Medi-Cal office.

More than 300,000 Californians have lost their Medi-Cal eligibility since July. 1. The majority of lost coverage in June and July due to procedural reasons, such as not sending their renewal forms back or having incorrect information in their forms, according to state data.

Some people losing coverage are no longer eligible because of changes in their personal lives, such as starting a job with higher pay. But some might see their coverage lapse because of paperwork mistakes or simply missing a notice in the mail.

“It’s because it’s been such a long period where folks have not had to renew their health coverage,” said Cary Sanders, senior policy director at the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network. “There could be up to 2 to 3 million Californians who could lose their health coverage just by virtue of this change, because there would be people who wouldn’t know what to do.”

Here are some answers to questions about what you can do if you lose coverage, including how to appeal.

How do I know if I got disenrolled from Medi-Cal?

You will get notified through mail. If you didn’t receive a notification but still believe you might have lost coverage, you can call your local Medi-Cal office to check eligibility or go to your regular clinic or hospital where they can look this information up for you.

For any questions about Medi-Cal eligibility, you can contact the state Department of Health Care Services, which manages the Medi-Cal program. Their Medi-Cal Eligibility Division can be contacted at (916) 552-9200.

I qualify for Medi-Cal but still got disenrolled. What should I do?

Your next step depends on how much time has lapsed since you lost your coverage, as stated on the official notification letter.

The state has instituted a 90-day appeal period in case you lost coverage even though you qualify.

If you are within the 90-day period, you should immediately fill out the yellow renewal packet, or supply any missing information, and send it to your county Medi-Call office. If you lost the packet or sent the packet but still got disenrolled, call your local Medi-Cal office or go to your regular clinic or hospital to figure out the next steps.

If you are unable to send your information to your local Medi-Cal office due to accessibility issues and are running out of time, ask the office staff to accept your documents electronically or through the phone.

If you are past the 90-day period, you will be required to reapply for Medi-Cal benefits. This means starting a new application entirely.

How can I appeal?

Tatiana Fassieux, training and education specialist at Medicare advocacy nonprofit California Health Advocates, said people should remember that they have appeal rights.

If you received a notification about disenrollment, you can request a Fair Hearing and appeal the loss of coverage. This will ensure that your benefits continue until the hearing is resolved.

“Many people take the letter verbatim and they don’t read it and they don’t appeal,” she said.

According to the state Department of Health Care Services, adults under the age of 26 can qualify for Medi-Cal regardless of immigration status. Medi-Cal does not share information with the immigration office, so undocumented Californians should not be afraid to seek help. Starting Jan. 1. Californians of all ages will be able to qualify for Medi-Cal irrespective of immigration status.

I got disenrolled because I no longer qualify. How can I get health insurance?

If you no longer qualify for Medi-Cal, you may still be able to get low-cost health insurance through Covered California, which is the state’s marketplace for health insurance plans.

Those who earn up to 250% of the federal poverty level –– or $33,975 for an individual or $69,375 for a family of four –– would qualify for low-premium plans through Covered California. You may also be eligible for additional health insurance subsidies through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the Advance Premium Tax Credit and Cost-Sharing Reduction plans.

If you are over the age of 65 or have disabilities, you may also qualify for Medicare, which can help pay for hospital costs, medical care and even prescription medication.

How can I make sure I don’t get disenrolled in the future?

Keep an eye out for any mail sent to you from your county Medi-Cal office. If you recently moved, make sure to update your address on the Medi-Cal website or by calling your local office.

You will be expected to renew and update your Medi-Cal coverage every year, so keep all your important information in an accessible place.

“You should have your documents like tax returns and health records handy,” Fassieux said.

You can sign up for renewal reminders through the state’s renewal website: keepmedicalcoverage.org. That resource also is available from the state in Spanish.

Are there any other resources I can use for help?

The state’s Department of Health Care Services has several resources to help, including contact information for your local Medi-Cal office, schedules of community events and health fairs where you can get information in person, and guides on what to do if you lost Medi-Cal coverage.

For assistance with Medi-Cal re-enrollment, you also can call the Office of the Medi-Cal Ombudsman. The office is a neutral resource that can help you deal with any issues you may have with the program. You can contact the Office of the Ombudsman at (888) ​452-8609.

There are also several third-party services that can help you get back on Medi-Cal.

Health Consumer Alliance is a free assistance program funded by The California Endowment, Covered California, the state Department of Managed Health Care, and the Blue Shield Foundation. It provides legal services and can help you renew your Medi-Cal coverage. To get in touch, you can read their guide on renewing Medi-Cal or call their toll-free number, 888‑804‑3536.

You can contact BenefitsCal which also provides assistance with Medi-Cal. The website has translations in 20 languages.

Will seniors and other vulnerable populations get special assistance?

According to health policy organization Justice in Aging, seniors and those with disabilities have experienced higher rates of disenrollment from Medi-Cal. Seniors, pregnant women, and certain children under 21 experienced a disenrollment rate of 26.7% in June 2023, compared to the overall average rate of 21%, according to the Department of Health Care Services.

Tiffany Huyenh-Cho, a health attorney at Justice in Aging, said seniors and people with disabilities are dual-eligible, which means they qualify for both Medicare and Medi-Cal.

“Dual-eligibles are a very diverse group with really high chronic needs, and they are more likely to be a person of color,” she said. “Their health disparities and chronic conditions are exacerbated by the loss of Medicaid.”

Often seniors and other dual-eligibles use their Medi-Cal benefits to cover their Medicare premiums as well as any wraparound services not included in Medicare. The loss of Medi-Cal means they may lose these additional benefits and face the deduction of Medicare premiums from their Social Security checks, said Huyenh-Cho.

“That puts people at risk of not being able to pay for rent and other needs, like clothing, food and utilities,” she said. “One of the big concerns that we have is it puts people at risk of economic insecurity and potentially at risk of homelessness because of that loss of income.”

Those who require additional assistance can reach out to state-supported enrollment navigators, which are community-based organizations and social service agencies that help vulnerable populations through the process.

The Department of Health Care Services has also released a social media toolkit to spread awareness about redeterminations, so people can renew their coverage before they get disenrolled. This kit is available in 19 languages.

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